Battle of Xiling

The battle

Initial stage

When Wu's Senior General Who Guards the Army, Lu Kang received news of the revolt, he immediately ordered his subordinates Zuo Yi (左奕), Wu Yan, Cai Gong (蔡貢), and others to lead separate forces and head towards Xiling. He instructed his men to construct defensive structures from Chixi (赤谿) to Gushi (故市) to form an encirclement around Bu Chan's position, while at the same time defending the area from attacks by Jin forces. Hearing that Lu Kang was approaching Xiling, Jin sent the Chief Controller of Jing Province, Yang Hu to rescue Bu Chan.

While constructing the defences, many of Lu Kang's officers repeatedly urged him to attack Xiling but he refused, believing that the city was well-fortified. To prove that he was right, Lu Kang eventually relented and ordered an assault on Xiling. As he expected, they did not succeed in capturing the city, so his officers gave up their idea of attacking and complied with Lu Kang's orders to construct the defensive structures.

Destruction of the dyke near Jiangling

When Jin forces led by Yang Hu were approaching Jiangling County, the Wu officers advised Lu Kang against leaving Jiangling to attack Xiling. However, Lu Kang was confident that Jiangling was impregnable, and even if Jin were to capture it, they would not hold it for long. He was more concerned that if they lose Xiling, the tribes of the southern hills may rise up and cause trouble for Wu.

Jiangling was situated on flat lands and was a very accessible location. However, Lu Kang later ordered Zhang Xian (張咸) to oversee the construction of a large dyke to block the river's flow and direct its waters to flood the flat lands, to create a large body of water around the city to serve as a barrier to invaders. When Yang Hu arrived, he planned to make use of this barrier by transporting supplies on boats, but he spread false news that he intended to destroy the dyke to make way for his land army to pass through. When Lu Kang heard that, he saw through Yang Hu's plot and ordered Zhang Xian to destroy the dyke. When Yang Hu reached Dangyang (當陽; southwest of present-day Jingmen, Hubei), he was dismayed to hear that the dyke had been destroyed. He had no choice but to transport his supplies on land, resulting in the wasting of time and effort.

Final stages

Xu Yin (徐胤), the commander of the Jin garrison at Badong Commandery (巴東郡; around present-day Fengjie County, Chongqing), led naval forces towards Jianping (建平; around present-day Zigui County, Hubei), while Yang Zhao (楊肇), the Inspector of Jing Province (also under Jin control), led troops towards Xiling.

Lu Kang gave orders that: Zhang Xian reinforce Jiangling's defences; Sun Zun (孫遵), the Commandant of Gong'an County, patrol the south river bank and resist Yang Hu; and Liu Lü (留慮) and Zhu Wan (朱琬) guard against Xu Yin's attacks. He led three armies to hold off Yang Zhao with the aid of the defensive structures they had constructed earlier. However, Lu Kang's subordinates Zhu Qiao (朱喬) and Yu Zan (俞贊) defected to Yang Zhao's side. Lu Kang knew that Yu Zan was aware of the mutinous tribal soldiers in his army and may inform Yang Zhao about this weakness. Hence, that night, Lu Kang immediately replaced the tribal soldiers with other veteran soldiers whom he trusted more. The following day, as Lu Kang expected, Yang Zhao concentrated his attacks on the unit in Lu Kang's army which used to be made up of tribal soldiers, without knowing that they had been replaced. Lu Kang ordered his archers to retaliate, raining arrows on the enemy and inflicting heavy casualties.

After about a month, Yang Zhao failed to overcome Lu Kang, so he withdrew his army on one night. Lu Kang wanted to pursue the enemy but he was worried that Bu Chan (who was still inside Xiling) might use the opportunity to attack him from behind, and he did not have enough troops with him. He then ordered his men to beat the drums and pretend to prepare to attack Yang Zhao's retreating forces. When Yang Zhao's men saw that, they were so terrified that they abandoned their armour and equipment and fled. Lu Kang sent a small group of lightly armed soldiers to pursue Yang Zhao and they inflicted a crushing defeat on the enemy. Yang Hu and the other Jin generals withdrew their armies after receiving news of Yang Zhao's defeat. Lu Kang then attacked and conquered Xiling. Bu Chan, along with his family and high-ranking officers, were executed for treason, while the others, numbering over 10,000, were pardoned after Lu Kang requested the Wu court. Lu Kang then had Xiling's fortifications repaired before returning east to Lexiang (樂鄉; east of present-day Songzi, Hubei).

Aftermath

After Lu Kang returned to Lexiang, he was promoted to Protectorate General. Meanwhile, Yang Hu was demoted to General Who Pacifies the South, while Yang Zhao was made a commoner. For the next few years, Yang Hu shifted his focus to winning Wu's hearts by having him and his soldiers conduct themselves more respectfully towards their enemies. Historical records tell of an uncanny friendship between Yang Hu and Lu Kang after their battle at Xiling. Following Lu Kang's death in 274, Yang Hu began strongly advocating for Jin to carry out the conquest of Wu, which began five years later in 279.

Yang Hu briefly mentions the battle in chapter 120 of Luo Guanzhong's 14th century historical novel, Romance of the Three Kingdoms.